Nipple piercing machine



MaI-ch 2, 1937. vJ- B. WHITBREAD 2,072,782

NIPPLE PIERCING MACHINE Filed 001'.. 3l, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1ATTORNEYS March 2,l 1937.

J. BywHlTBREAD NIPPLE PIERCING MACHINE Filed oct. 51,'1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. c//ffes 5. /W//faa" ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1937 v UNITED STATES PAT'ENT OFFICE Cilocon Corporation, tion of Michigan Detroit, Mich., a corpora- Application October 31, 1935, Serial No. 47,588

6 Claims.

This invention relates to piercing machines for the purpose of slitting articles to form valves and theglike, and pertains more particularlyV to a machine for piercing rubber nipples for infants feeding devices such as are disclosed in Patent A" Ijheprimary object of the invention is to providea machine for piercing, to a predetermined depth, a wall Vformed of such material asrub- `ber. 'Ihe particular utility of the machine relatesr to the formation of valves such as disclosed in the above referred to prior patent. In such valves, which are formedv as an integral part of a rubber feeding nipple, the wall of the nipple l5 is providedwith a dome shaped projection on the outer surface of the wall and the present machinecuts into the wall from the inner surface to provide a slit,.not entirely through the wall at any point, but extending into the dome shaped projection. Further Yobjects of the invention are to-provide means for regulating the depth of the crutandl to definitely position the cut with respect to the dome shaped projection to avoid completely severing the wall at any point. This latter feature is important inasmuch as the depth of the cut is greater than the normal wall thickness and it must be so disposed that it extends into the projection in order not to cut through the wall at any point.

With the above and other ends in view the invention is more fully disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a front elevation, with a part` in cross section, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken on lines 2 2 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. l.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate corresponding parts.

In the drawings the numeral I designates a vertically extending base member having guides 2 secured to the face thereof by bolts 3. Slidably received in the guides 2 is a plate 4 having a slot 5 into which a pin 6 projects. 'Ihe pin 6 is stationary with respect to the base I and serves to limit movement of the plate 4 in the guides 2. Also mounted in the base I is a spring retainer 1 supporting a compressed coil spring 8 which engages the plate 4 to yieldably urge it upwardly and to normally hold it at the limit of its upward movement as defined by the pin '6. Carried by the plate 4 is a hollow work support 9 for receiving a rubber nipple I0 as shown in Fig. 2.

Rotatably journalled in a bearing I I in the base I is a spindle I2 having a pulley I3 on its outer end thereof receiving a belt I4. The belt I4 is adapted. to be driven by a suitable motor (not shown). The spindle I2 extends into the hollow work support 9 and has a circular cutter I5 thereon and disposed in line -with a slot I6 in 5 the work support.v

Secured on top of the movable plate 4 is a bracket Il carrying a pin I8 on which a lever I9 is fulcrumed. The lever I9 is forked, by forming va slot 20 therein, to provide two arms 2| 10 and22. The arm 2| carries a set screw 23 which engages the arm 22 and thus provides means whereby the two arms 2| and 22 may be flexed with respectto each other. 'I'he arm 22 further has a depending part 24 with a socket 25 in its 15 lower extremity adapted to receive a dome shaped projection 26 on the nipple I Il. The socket 25 is directly in line with the cutter I5 and serves to align the dome therewith as will be hereinafter more particularly described. In the plate 2O 4 there is formed a bore 2'| receiving a spring 28 and a plunger 29, the spring urging the plunger against the lever I9 to normally urge the latter to pivot around its fulcrum I8. Extending loosely through the plate 4 are two rods 30 which are 25 connected at their upper ends by a cross beam 3| and at their lower end by a. cross beam 32. In the cross beam 3| is mounted a set screw 33 adapted to bear against the lever I9 and a pull rod V34 is connected to the cross beam 32. 'I'he 30 pull rod 34 isadapted to be connected to a manually movable lever or treadle (not shown) by means of which pressure may be applied thereto.

The normal inoperative position of the machine is the reverse to that shown in Fig. 2. In 3,- its inoperative position the spring 8 will hold the plate 4 at the limit of its upward movement and the spring 21 and plunger 28 will pivot the lever I9 to elevate the part 24 so that the nipple I0 may be placed on the work support 9. It 40 will be assumed that the spindle I2 and cutter I5 are constantly rotating. After the nipple has been placed on the work support manual pressure is applied on the rod 34 and the rods 3U and cross beam 3| are pulled downwardly. As the 45 cross beam 3| moves downwardly the set screw 33 strikes the lever I9 and pivots the same by overcoming the pressure of the spring 28. Pivotal movement of the lever moves the part 24 with the socket 25 toward the nipple and when the nipple 50 is properly placed on the work support the dome shaped projection 26 will project into the socket 25. Continued pressure on the rod 34 causes the plate 4 to be moved downwardly and the work support, in moving with the plate 4, causes the 55 cutter I to be gradually exposed through the slot I6 with the result that it pierces the wall of the nipple. VThe element 24 in pressing against the outside surface of the dome 26 holds the wall of the nipple so that the cutter must pierce the same as the work support is moved.

The set screw 33 provides a means for regulating the amount of pivotal movement of the lever I9 when the pressure isremoved from the rod 34,

this pivotal movement being necessary in order that the nipple may be placed on the work support without interference from the part 24. The set screw 23 serves as a means for adjusting the depth of the cut made by the cutter I 5.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

'What I claim is:-

1. In a machine of the character described, a hollow work support having a slot therein, a cutter rotatably supported within said worksupport, means for moving said work support to expose said cutter through said slot, and a backing -mernber movable with said work support andV adapted to'engage the work as the latter is carried into engagement with the cutter. y

2. In a machine of the character described, a hollow work support having a slot therein,a cutter rotatably supported within said work support, means for moving said work sup-port to expose said cutter through said slot, a backing member movable with said work support and adapted to engage the work as the latter is carried into engagement with the cutter, and means for adjusting said backing member to regulate the depth of the cut made by said cutter.

3. In a machine of the character described, a base, a hollow Work support having a slot therein, said Work support being slidably supported by said base, a cutter rotatably supported by said base and normally disposed within said work support adjacent to said slot, and means for moving said work supp-ort slidably on said base whereby the cutting edge of said cutter is projected through said slot for engagement with work on said support.

4. In a machine of the character described, a base, a hollow work support having a slot therein, said work support being slidably mounted on said base, a cutter rotatably supported by said base within said hollow work support adjacent t6 the slot therein, resiliently yieldable means acting upon said support and normally positioning it whereby the cutter is disposed entirely within said work support whereby work may be placed thereon and removed therefrom, and means for moving said work support relative to said cutter whereby the cutting edge thereof is projected through said slot.

5. In a machine of the character described, a base, a hollow work support having a slot therein, said work support being slidably supported by said base, a cutter rotatably supported by said base and normally disposed within said work support adjacent to said slot, means for moving said work support slidably on said base whereby the cutting edge of said cutter is projected through said slot for engagement with work on said support, and work backing means, said work backing means comprising a movable element adaptedto engage work carried by said support, resiliently yieldablemeans normally moving said work'e'ngaging element to a position spaced from said support whereby work may be placed thereon andremoved therefrom, and means actuatedby movement of said means for movingsaid worksupporty for moving said work engaging element into engagement with work carried by said support prior to movement of saidwork support. f

6. In a machine 'of the character described, a base, a hollow work support having a slot therein, said worksupport being slidably mounted on said base, a cutter rotatably supported by said base rwithin said hollow work support adjacent to the slot therein, resiliently yieldable meansacting upon said support and normally positioning it whereby the cutter is disposed entirely within said work support whereby work may be placed thereon and removed therefrom, means for moving said work support relative to said cutter whereby the cutting edge thereof is projected through said slot,`

gagement with work carried by said support prior to movement of said work support.

JAMES B. WHITBREAD. 

